Change your thinking. Change your day.

What we think about is what we get.

We have all had hard days that have gone from bad to worse. It starts out with a stubbed toe in the morning and the hot water running out in the shower. Then you fight with your significant other, the kids talk back and you’re late for an important meeting at work.

Now, you might be thinking, “Please, don’t tell me I thought all of that into existence!” But catch yourself. That little stubbed toe gets many of us grumbling. So, our attitude is already on a downward spiral before our spouse announces that we’re out of coffee. “Did you forget to pick it up at the store… again?” That gets you to thinking about all of the times you just wish you didn’t have to be in charge of so many things at home and work, and how you can’t be expected to keep it all together. Why can’t they understand? I’m just once person, etc, etc…

When the next bad thing happens in that already blue day, let’s be honest, we’re not really surprised. We were thinking that was how this crummy day was going to turn out anyway. Right?

Well, it doesn’t have to be that way.

Admittedly, on a hard day it might not be easy to come up with a positive thought about much of anything. If you’re going through a whole season of hard days, you might be feeling a little helpless in it all.

So, start small. Maybe the goal just be to move in a small direction towards the feeling you want. When someone is feeling helpless, a “happy” thought won’t be, “Oh, life is just wonderful!” But a better feeling thought, or a more positive direction for you thinking might be, “Well, I’ve been here before and I have gotten out of this.” Sometimes, even feeling mad because you’ve been feeling blue is going in the right emotional direction. Just take charge. Each one of us can find those more positive thoughts to turn our days around, if we just look for them.

Many times our negative thinking on those bad days isn’t an accurate reflection of reality anyway. Your kids don’t ALWAYS get on your nerves. You USUALLY like your job. Your spouse SOMETIMES does the shopping too. No, you don’t ALWAYS stub your toe on the dresser in the morning, and you could move the dresser.

If you’re having a hard time finding a positive thought, imagine the “truth” the way you’d like for it to be. Think about what you want. (Like the landlord adding an extra hot water heater, and a work day that runs from 10:00 to 4:00.)

The first card in Do Tell the Relationship Game was: “Name 3 things you appreciate about yourself. Bonus: Say what you appreciate about another player and move ahead 2 spaces.”

Next time, you find your day spiraling downward try this card as an exercise. Stop and think about three things you appreciate about your life or another “player” in your life. When you think on those kinds of truths, stubbed toes will only sting for a minute. Small slights will pale in the light of your blessings, and you will find out that you’ll be more likely to get the day you want.